Vacation continues...

I may or may not have spent the past 4 hours on the couch flipping between the Olympics and an America's Next Top Model marathon (one I have seen at least three times).  But I see nothing wrong with any of this.  Because I am on vacation.  And once I get back from Central America, its unclear when  I'll have a chance to spend this much time on the couch again.  I need to live it up!  On the couch.  

The past few weekends have been pretty jam-packed.  Weekend before last, I went up to Seattle to see friends and to meet up with Watari Sensei, my favorite Japanese English teacher from back in Mine.  The plan was to meet Watari at Safeco for a Mariner's game, but we never really solidified plans before she left Japan.  So when I got to Seattle, I was a little worried about how we would actually find each other.  I became even more worried when I called the number of the woman Watari was staying with and left the following message for a man named John:  "Um, hi, I'm looking for Watari Sensei?  This is Abra, we are supposed to meet up for the game tomorrow?  Um, so if this is actually where Watari Sensei is staying could you please have her get in touch with me?"  I'm pretty sure John likely thought he was receiving a prank call.

Eventually, Watari Sense called me, and we met up at the game without a hitch (well, actually there was a slight hitch - she told me to meet by the big "grass" by Safeco, when apparently what she meant was the big "glass" glove thing by the gate).  We had great seats on the first base line, perfect for taking pictures of Ichiro every time he made it on base.  While the game was a great time, the highlight had nothing to do with baseball.  When we were walking to our states, we heard someone shouting out names.  I was like, who could possibly know both of us?  I turned around and sitting exactly two rows behind us was Hayashi Sense, another one of my Japanese English teachers!  While she knows Watari well from many years spent educating the youth of Mine, the two had no clue that both of them were spending their breaks traveling in Canada and Washington, and were also blown away to see each other at the game.  Eventually, Hayashi came and sat on the other side of me, and it was just like old times in Japan with the two of them chatting in Japanese, and me flipping my head to side to side, nodding, like I am following the conversation when in reality I had no clue what either one of them was saying.

This past weekend was Jolina's wedding.  Everything went really well, and I was really happy to be a part of it.  The highlights beyond the ceremony itself were probably Brian dancing with my mom and Ryan (you know, the guy in middle school who looked like he was 30 and had a mustache when he was a twelve year old sixth grader) repeatedly hitting on Claire and calling my Abraham.  

I'm currently at a crossroads.  Another Top Model episode is about to start.  I could continue sitting here, and wait to see who wins (CariDee, in case anyone was wondering) or I suppose I could get dressed and consider leaving the house.  I think I'm going to stay on the couch.  

Post bar life

I'd like to think the bar is behind me.  And technically, it is.  Exactly one week behind me.  Last Wednesday at about this time I was halfway through my fourth Raspberry Stoli and soda and barely managing to stay halfway on my bar stool.  But even though I'm done studying, I have yet to completely move past the Hell that was the past two months.  For instance, almost every night I have some bar related dream.  The scariest one involved sitting in the JELL office, trying to decide if I should take something called "Bar 2" which was an optional test taken a week after the bar that would increase your chances of passing.  Messed up stuff.  At least I've started to stop going through the elements of negligence every time I see a puddle on the ground.  But I will admit that while running laps today at Reed, I considered explaining to a bunch of construction workers why their site was definitely an attractive nuisance. 

I've decided though that I really am just going to put the bar out of my head until September 12th.  What I think will help with this is that I can't remember any of the questions of the test and I decided it was not worth it to try and check my answers when I did remember the questions.  What will also help is that I have a Central American vacation to plan.  In less than a month, I'll be heading to the east coast for a week, followed by about a month in Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where I will master surfing, get really tan, help Natasha make a sign reading "Second Base Only" in Spanish and visit tortilla factories.  Its going to be great.  

In other news, I have found my perfect apartment at a perfect location and will be moving in October 1st.  I'm not sure I am going to have any perfect furniture with which to furnish the apartment, but I just finished reading this book, The Glass Castle, which is a memoir about growing up with parents who basically decided they would be poor, and I got a lot of ideas for furniture, including cardboard boxes for beds.  I'm thinking cardboard boxes can also be tables! One of the reasons my apartment is perfect is because all dogs are welcome (except for aggressive breeds) so soon after I move in, I plan to adopt (a dog, not a child), name him Johnny Potato and take him for lots of walks at the park across the street (like I said, perfect location).  

I'm thinking my life can't be any more boring than it was while studying for the bar, so if I managed to come up with some things to write about then, I will definitely be able to increase my blogging time now that (hopefully) exciting things will be happening.  I think that the simple fact that my vow of sobriety has ended will up the excitement factor 200% at least. 

Update!

Marie, Maggie, Natasha and I just had a "Mamma Mia" sing-a-long!  I'm not crazy.

Mamma Mia

I have developed an unhealthy obsession with Mamma Mia.  I have now seen the movie twice and purchased the soundtrack on itunes.  What is wrong with me?  I mean, its an amazing movie and all, but seriously?  Furthermore, I have also spent way too many study breaks singing the songs and working on dance routines, specifically to the title track "Mamma Mia."  I want to be Meryl Streep when I am old.  I really need to be done studying.  I want my sanity back.

Wait, I Might Miss Eugene??

So on Wednesday night, after softball, I joined the Fender family for dinner at Turtle's.  A couple people ordered appetizers - a smoked salmon plate and cajun fried oysters.  Granted, I was starving, but the dishes looked and smelled amazingly delicious.  I started thinking that next time I come to Turtle's, I am definitely going to have to get at least one of those.  And then suddenly it dawned on me that this might be my last time at Turtle's.  Because I am leaving Eugene for good in less than 2 weeks!  

I've been wanting to leave Eugene pretty much since I arrived 3 years ago.  Its not like Eugene is a bad place, its just not the right place for me.  This would be because I am not an aging hippie or a member of the undergrad army of mini skirt and Ugg-clad girls.  In all honesty, Eugene is much more than that, but living here has really just been a means to an end.  And now that end is about to be realized.  And I get to go to Portland.  And I'm sad?

I've had some great times in Eugene.  I honestly enjoyed law school, and I'm not even talking about the parts where I got to drink.  Basically, studying the law rulez (where I'm from, words end in "z."  503 represent!).  I am not even kidding.  I've also met some great people.  And have had some "good times," which is code for "crazy nights," which is code for "had lots of headaches the morning after helping the Eugene economy by purchasing beverages and hot dogs with cheese and bacon bits on the street."  

The following is a list of things that have made the past 3 years stuck in Eugene suprisingly not that horrible:

The JELL office (not the OLR office, even though I was a member and had my own desk.  The lighting in there possibly caused my left eye to get all the way to a -7.0)

TayTay's 

Eugene Parks

My peeps

Cafe Yumm

Hot Dog Cart

Kegs at the law school (economically speaking, it was always the best deal in town)

MOC (also known as "The Cake Store")

There's more (yes, I know, crazy), but I have to get to sleep.  Tomorrow I am going to attempt to run in the am and then stay at school all day and learn crap.  My treat will be a movie.  And maybe popcorn!  Its too bad I don't know Braille, because then I could make Braille flashcards and bring them to the movie and watch it and feel the bumps and study!  

In other news, there might be a former Duck football player named Donald spending the night in the law school tonight.  I went into the student lounge to print some outlinez (I'm street), and there was this guy in there  watching tv who proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions about when the building closed and what happened when the building closed.  I made the mistake of telling him once you are in, you are in.  No one kicks you out.  A little while later, Erin went to the courtyard and this guy was out there smoking a joint.  He started questioning her about her late nights at the law school and whether or not she had ever slept there.  I hope he has a blanket because the air conditioning is only seems to have an "ice cold" setting.

Best pick up line ever

I really like forward, confident guys.  Because then you don't have to do anything, which is great for me because I am lazy.  I think I may have met my dream man last night.  Natasha and I decided to go running by the river.  Because we are both indecisive, we were standing at a fork in the path, asking each other repeatedly if we should go left or right and mulling the pros and cons or heading out in either direction (also repeatedly), when we were approached by a hobo. Which may or may not be a politically correct term.  I feel ok using it because of my obsession with hobo culture.  But anyway, so we are approached by this man, who right away told us that he was not panhandling or begging.  He just wanted to ask us a question.  I was all set to give some directions (or not.  I am really bad at Eugene directions), when he surprised us by announcing that we were both in violation of Eugene City Ordinance #12999.  Being unfamiliar with the Eugene city code, we asked him what that governed.  I also wanted to ask if it was strict liability, but refrained.  Better not to know.  Even though ignorance of the law is no defense.  According to our new friend, City Ordinance #12999 involves a two pronged analysis.  First, we were told that we were likely in violation because we are so attractive.  However, that alone would not be enough for liability.  In order to be found in violation, we also had to be found to be responsible for causing an individual, upon viewing us in all our glory, to suffer a heart attack!  And according to our new friend, we had done just that.  

I was pretty impressed with the hobo's line.  I thought it was pretty clever.  And after smelling the alcohol on his breath, I was even more impressed.  When I've been drinking, I can barely manage to order a hot dog from the cart, and this guy was practically composing poetry!  It was a beautiful moment.  What made it even more beautiful was the giant knife he had strapped to his leg.  I really need to spend more time by the river. 

Party weekend!

It turns out I am not a very regular blogger.  I need to work on that.  Unfortunately the bar studying keeps getting in the way.  Well, this weekend you can expect not one but multiple entries from me!  I've got the house to myself here in Portland, just me and the dog, and after my giant rager I am throwing tomorrow (5 kegs, 6 strippers) in honor of liberty and freedom (to drink and strip), I will have nothing to but blog!  And make flashcards, but whatever.

So yeah, just chillin' with the dog.  I decided it would be a good idea to order thai food from the neighborhood place (it was) and to take the dog with me to pick it up (it wasn't).  I couldn't find a place to tie Caddy up outside so I paced in front of the restaurant for 5 minutes figuring out what I should do with him.  Finally, I just stopped this guy who was walking in if he would mind staying outside for Caddy for a few minutes.  He didn't seem to mind, but now I'm worried.  I can see myself having kids and getting overly ambitious about taking them places, and then they get in my way and I have to leave them with a stranger in the parking lot.  Obviously this means I will need a nanny.  And the nanny's name is Stevester and Sarah.  I think I'll let my parents live in the guest house out by the pool in exchange for raising Abra Jr. and Abraham.  

The only exciting thing that has happened to me in the last week was that I met a man and he gave me free Olympic trials tickets!  The I met a man part sounds kind of sketchy.  I should elaborate.  I was talking with some peeps, procrastinating on essay #57, when this man wandering through the law school came up to us and started chatting.  He was a lawyer and was asking about bar studying.  Then all of the sudden he was like, "What do you guys think about the trials being here?"  We said we thought it was pretty cool.  Then he asked if we would go if we had tickets.  I said I definitely would.  He asked me if I promised.  I said yes.  Next thing I know, he's handing me two tickets for the next day!  I was stupid and didn't get his card, or even his name, but I went the next day and the tickets were amazing.  Front row, right on the finish line for all the running events.  Since attending the trials, I am pretty sure I need to become an olympic caliber runner.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.  

For those of you law students not in Eugene, I would just like to let you know how not a big deal the trials being held across the street has been.  I have had no trouble parking and its not noisy at all.  Basically, the only bad things about it are only having one bathroom on the main floor of school and that the library closes at 5.  Actually thats not a bad thing; its an excuse to stop studying.  Which is awesome.